Campus Tour Tips from a College President

Editor’s note: A version of this post originally appeared on Admitted in March 2016.

Spring break is just around the corner at high schools across the country and many juniors will use the time to check out college campuses.

For one dad, the season brings back fond memories. L. Jay Lemons recently shared tips for making the most out of campus visits.

Lemons, president of Susquehanna University (PA) — a NACAC member institution — knows of what he speaks. In addition to leading a liberal arts institution, in recent years he’s toured dozens of college campuses as a parent.

“Having visited more than 50 colleges during my own children’s search process, I’ve been on the other side of that student-led tour,” the father of four wrote in a Huffington Post column.

Lemons went on to share four must-ask questions for students on the college tour circuit:

How much access do students have to faculty?

How committed is the college to engaging students and getting them involved on campus?

What’s the space like?

Does it feel right?

Lemons also offers a piece of advice to anxious moms and dads: Let students have the final say.

“Unlike our generation, these millennials value your thinking and judgment so very much,” he notes. “Just be sure to let them own the decision as they will be responsible for the educational experience they earn in the coming years.”